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Midfield is the most important position in Football. The midfielders are the ones that run the show for their respective teams in Football.
They are responsible for controlling the tempo and the flow of the game. They provide a certain direction and impart a unique style to the team's play. They are ever-present in the centre of the field and dictate the team's play. On one side they provide support to the team's defence, often tracking back and intercepting opposing plays. While on the other side they try and break the opposing defences with their defence-splitting passes.
Here is the list of the top 5 midfielders in the world entering into the new season based on their performances in the World Cup and in the past few seasons.
Honourable mentions: David Silva, Christian Eriksen, Casemiro, Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic, Philippe Coutinho, Miralem Pjanic.
#5 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Paul Pogba's second return to Manchester United was for a world record of £89 million. Since then it has always been about matching expectations for Pogba.
Last season he started on a very hot note in the Premier League contributing in most of the goals that United scored. His performances receded a bit after coming back from an injury and he was a subject of constant criticism. But he regained his form during the recently concluded FIFA World Cup and was one of the major reasons that France won the World Cup. He scored two stunning goals, one in the opening match and one in the closing match of the World Cup and laid the foundation from the midfield for Mbappe and Griezmann to pounce upon.
He is a powerful, creative and a skilful player who is also capable of scoring spectacular goals from the midfield. His 6'3 frame gives him the physique and the strength to dominate in the midfield for United. Still only 25, he will be crucial to United's title challenge in the upcoming season.
#4 N’golo Kante (Chelsea)
N'golo Kante is quite simply the best defensive midfielder in football right now. He was pivotal to the French success in the World Cup and provided tireless presence in the midfield.
His importance can be noted by the fact that he became the first outfield player to win back-to-back English league titles with different clubs since Eric Cantona. Kante won the Premier League with Leicester City in 2016, got transferred to Chelsea and again won the Premier League the following season winning the PFA Players' Player of the Year in the process.
Claudio Ranieri: "This player Kanté, he was running so hard that I thought he must have a pack full of batteries hidden in his shorts. He never stopped running in training. I tell him, 'One day, I’m going to see you cross the ball, and then finish the cross with a header yourself.' He's unbelievable."
Kante is a dynamic, diminutive and an explosive player in the midfield. He has superhuman lung power and has unmatchable energy and ball winning abilities.
Chelsea will be hoping for more superhuman performances from Kante to challenge for the title in the upcoming season.
#3 Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
Toni Kroos has been one of the most consistent players for Real Madrid since his transfer from Bayern in 2014 winning three consecutive Champions League and one La Liga in this period.
The German pass master brings flow and control to the Real Madrid side. His poise and calmness brings stability that is needed in the middle of the field. He had tremendous passing accuracy of 93% in the past La Liga season. He has a great vision and an ability to set up goals. Real Madrid also heavily rely on his long shots and ball delivery from set-pieces making him a perfect "modern" midfielder.
Despite having a timid World Cup from his standards with Germany, Tony Kroos and Real Madrid will be looking to mount a serious title challenge to Barcelona in the upcoming season.
#2 Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
The Croatian international is a magician in the middle of the field. He was recently awarded the Golden Ball for being the best player in the World Cup where he finished with three Man of the Match awards.
He has always been superb for a Real Madrid side that had won four of the last five Champions League. A diminutive midfielder, Modric is a fantastic passer and is capable of carrying the ball from the midfield and also scoring some long range scorchers. He knits the whole team together and makes great footballing decisions.
Modric is always able to enhance his game on the big occasions and Real Madrid will be highly dependent on the midfield maestro to have another magical season.
#1 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Kevin De Bruyne is the most complete midfielder in world football right now. He is the best archetype for a modern day midfielder with amazing technique, great vision, wide-range of passing and long-range shooting skills. He is also brilliant from the set-pieces.
De Bruyne took the Premier League by storm last season for a City side that finished with a record 100 points. He also played a very important role for Belgium that finished third in the World Cup.
Guardiola once said, "Kevin has probably the best right foot in the League since the days of David Beckham".
De Bruyne scored 8 goals and had a league-leading 16 assists in 37 Premier League appearances last season. He will again be the most crucial factor for Manchester CIty in the Premier League and will also be looking to add the Champions League glory.
